Press ironer



Feb. l1, 1941. T. R BUSH 2,231,461

PRESS IRONER Filed Dec. 13, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 1 95 j Waiare 7i.' ,Bas/2 Feb. l1, 1941. T. R. BUSH 2,231,461

PRESS IRONER Filed Dec. 13, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PRESS IRONER Theodore R. Bush, Royal Oak, Mich., assignor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 13, 1937, Serial No. 179,385

Claims.

This invention relates in general to ironing apparatus and has particular reference to ironing apparatus of the portable hand-operated press type.

5 A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved form of portable hand-operated ironing apparatus which is efiiclent in operation, relatively light in weight so that it is truly portable, simple in construction, easy to operate, adaptable to high production methods of manufacture, and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of hand-operated press ironer in which a single lever is used for controlling the diil'erent operations of the apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of mounting means for securing the movable member or shoe to the movable arm of the ironing apparatus, such securement being so arranged as to permit limited angular movement of the shoe .with respect to the movable arm of the ironing apparatus.

It is a further object of the invention'to provide novel locking means for retaining the movable arm of the ironing apparatus in its depressed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a new system of linkages by means of which pressure may be applied between the buck and the shoe after the movable arm of the ironing apparatus has been locked in its depressed position.

Further objects will appear more fully hereinafter as the description proceeds and will be pointed out more completely in the appended claims.

As illustrated in the drawings, the ironer of the invention comprises, in general, a rigid base which is adapted to be supported upon a table or werk surface of any type and which provides a guideway for receiving a portion of a buck. Another portion of the base is provided with an upstanding portion within which a movable lever arm is pivoted. The movable lever arm carries at its forward end, and in opposition to the buck, a shoe for cooperation with the buck. A lever pivoted upon the shoe is provided for operating a system of linkages for raising the buck against the shoe after the arm has been locked in its depressed position by means of a pin and wedge also operatively connected to the operating lever.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, of which there are two (2) sheets, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the ironer showing the shoe depressed into operative relation with the buck;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the ironer shown in Fig. 1, but showing the arm and shoe in their raised or inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the ironing apparatus taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, but showing the locking pin released;

Fig. 41s a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 3, but showing the position which the parts assume upon the application of pressure to the actuating lever; and,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the main pressure applying link and is taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the line 5--5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As illustrated in the drawings, the ironing apparatus comprises a base I0 supporting a buck I2 at its forward end. The buck I2 may comprise a sheet metal member I4 which has a cloth cover I6 stretched thereover, and is provided upon its underside with a series of pins I8 slidably disposed in guiding apertures 20 formed in standards 22 upstanding from the base I0.

Toward the rear of the base I 0 there is provided a pair of upstanding spaced projections 24. An arm 26 is pivoted near one end thereof as at 28 to the upstanding spaced portions 24 of the base Il). Caps 30 may be provided upon the externally projecting portions of the pivot 28 to prevent displacement thereof.

Arm 26 carries upon its forward end a shoe 32, and for this purpose arm 26 has pivoted thereto at 34 a hook 36 for engagement with a pin 38 carried by an upstanding portion of the shoe. Pin 38 is engaged in a slot 40 formed in the underside of the forward portion of the arm 26 in projections 42. Projections 42 upon the arm 26 are slightly spaced from an upwardly presented surface 44 of the shoe 32 to provide for limited movement of the shoe with respect to the arm to accommodate any uneven distribution of material between the buck and shoe.

Above the shoe 32 the arm 26 is provided with a transversely extending pivot shaft 46 which may be fast to the opposite depending portions cf the arm 26. A collar 48 may be pivoted upon shaft 46 and provided with an oiset portion 50 carrying a pivot 52. Collar 48 is adapted to be rotated about the shaft 46 by means of a lever 54 carrying a weighted handle 56 upon its upper end. Lever 54 is secured to the collar 48 as by being upset within a sleeve 58 or in any other suitable manner.

A second collar 60 pivoted upon the shaft 46 is provided with an ear 62 for engagement with the lower end of lever 54. A second ear 64 on collar 60 is pivotally connected to a link 66 extending toward the rear of the machine and pivoted to a crank member 68 at its rear end. Crank member 68 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 10 secured in one wall of the rear portion of the arm 26. Crank 68 also has pivotally connected thereto a link 12, the opposite end of which is engagedgin an aperture of a cylindrical locking pin 14 at 16.

Locking pin 14 is carried in a cylindrical socket 18 and is normally spring-pressed downwardly by means of a compression spring 82 extending between the upper end 80 of the socket .18 and the upper end of the locking pin 14.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2 the lever 54 is in its vertical position and the collar 60 is rotated counterclockwise to its farthest limit of counterclockwise movement. In this position the collar 60 has rotated the ear 64 toward the right to move the crank 68 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 10 there- .by pulling upwardly upon the link 12 to retract the locking pin 14 against the action of the spring 82. The initial movement of the lever 54, from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, and after depression of the arm 26 as shown in Fig. 3, will result in removal of the lower end of the lever 54 from above the ear 62 on the collar 60, thus permitting the collar 60 to be rotated through the links 12 and 66 and crank 68 under the inuence of the spring 82 to project the locking pin 14 downwardly. Downward movement of the locking pin 14 results in its wedge-shaped surface 84 engaging a pin 86 rigidly secured to the base I0. The eiect of engagement between the wedge 84 andpin 86 will be to lock the arm in its lowered position against upward movement about the pivot point 28.

Continued movement of the lever 54 about the pivot 46 results in movement toward the right of a link 88 pivoted at 52 to the ear 50 of the collar 48. Link .88, toward its left end as viewed in Figs. 2 to 4, has a pin and slot connection at 90 with a lever 92 pivoted at 94 upon the upstanding portion 24 of the frame. The initial movement of the lever 54 will thus be recognized as acting both to release the locking pin 14 and to take up the lost motion in the pin and Slot connection 90.

Upon reaching the limit of its 10st motion movement link 88 becomes operative to rotate the lever 92 in a clockwise direction about the pivot 94. It will be understood that the lost motion connection insures that the wedge 84 and pin 86 have engaged one another prior to actuation of the pressure applying instrumentalities. Continued motion on the part of the lever 92 `results in movement of its lower end toward the left as viewed in Figs. 3 and 4. The lower end of the lever 92 has pivoted thereto at 96 a link 98, the opposite end of which is provided with a seat 99 (Fig. 5) for one end of a spring |0I. The other end of the spring IOI engages a nut |03 threaded upon one end of a bolt |05 which extends through the spring II.A The opposite end of the bolt |05 sliclably projects through an aperture in the seat 99 and has a head |01 which engages a seat |09 of a link III pivoted at |00 upon one arm |02 of a bell crank |04. -The opposite arm |06 of the bell crank is pivotally attached at |08 to a downwardly extending lobe ||0 forming a part of the undersurface of the buck I2.

Bell crank |04 is pivoted upon a transverse shaft ||2 secured between the upstanding portions 22 which form guides for the pins I8 of the buck.

In order to prevent accidental downward projection of locking pin 14 prior to juxtapositioning of the buck I2 and shoe 32 the collar 48 is provided with an ear II4 engageable with a leaf spring II6 secured in any suitable fashion to a projection upon the inside of the arm 26. The leaf spring II6 has an offset portion |I8 for engagement with the outermost extremity of the lobe |I4.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Material to be ironed or to be pressed is spread out and laid over the top surface of the buck I2 which has a slight curvature corresponding to the curvature of the under surface of the shoe 32. The operator grasps the handle |20 secured to the forward end of the arm 26 and depresses the shoe and arm into engagement with the material upon the buck I2. While holding the arm and shoe so depressed the operator rotates the lever 54 about its axis 46 by means of the handle 56. i

Rotation of the lever 54 operates first to release the locking pin 14 to project the same into engagement with the pin 86 andv lock the arm 26 against upward movement.' Further rotation of the lever 54 about its pivot 46 results in taking up any remaining lost motion in the pin and slot connection 90 and in rotation of link 92 in a clockwise direction. Such rotation of the lever 92 results in the rearward retraction of the link 98 which acts through spring IOI and bell crank |04 to apply yielding upward pressure to the buck I2 for pressing or ironing the material positioned over the curved surface of the buck I2.

It should be noted that as lever 54 approaches a horizontal position the centers of the pivot points 46, 52, and 90 are approaching a position in which they lie in a single right line, thus producing what may be considered a toggle effect.

When the pressing operation is completed the lever 54 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, such rotation acting first to release the compression upon the spring |0| to permit lowering of the buck I2. As rotation of the lever 54 in a counterclockwise direction continues, the lost motion connection 90 moves to its other extremity and the lower end of the lever 54 engages the lobe 62 of the locking pin collar 60 which operates through the links 66 and 12 and the crank 68 to retract the pin 14 against the action of the spring 82. The final movement of the lever 54 will result in the lobe II4 engaging the leaf spring II6 frictionally to lock the parts upon the shaft 46 against rotation.

The apparatus is provided with an electrical outlet plug |22 connected to one end of an electrical cord |24 which leads to a heating element (not shown) located within the shoe 32. Means |26, comprising a pointer and a dial, are provided upon the exterior of the shoe 32 for adjusting the temperature at which the shoe will be maintained during the ironing operation.

It will be recognized that the locking pin 14 is operative to secure the arm 26 in any one of a number of angular positions with respect to the base I0. This is made possible by reason of the wedged face 84 which projec` s downwardly to any extent required of it by such angular arrangement of arm 26 and base I0.

The device is easily operated inasmuch as it has been found that pressures in the neighborhood of ve pounds upon the extremity of the handle 6B will result in an upward pressure of approximately 275 pounds between the buck and the shoe. The ironing apparatus lends itself to ready fabrication inasmuch as most of the parts may be stamped from sheet metal, and are relatively simple to assemble.

It is to he understood that the invention is not to be considered as limited to the embodiment and application thereof which has been selected here for the purpose of illustration, but is intended. rather, to embrace and include all other embodiments and applications of the new and useful principles thereof which are to be considered reasonably within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Ironing apparatus comprising a base, a buck mounted upon one end of said base for vertical sliding movement relative thereto, an arm pivotally connected at one end to the opposite end of said base and carrying a shoe upon its opposite end, a shaft mounted in said arm, a sleeve carried upon said shaft, mechanism for locking said arm to said base in any one of a plurality of angular relationships, means associated with said sleeve and extending to said locking mechanism for disengaging the same, and a, collar pivoted on said shaft and having linkage connected with said buck for exerting upward pressure against the same when said buck and shoe are in ironing relationship and the arm and base are locked.

2. In an ironing apparatus a buck mounted upon a base for vertical sliding movement relative thereto, a bell crank pivoted upon said base and having one end connected to said buck, and the opposite end to a link, and means for applying force to said link to raise said buck by means of said bell crank, said link having a resilient connection therein whereby the upward pressure exerted by 'the buck may be increased without substantial movement thereof.

3. Ironing apparatus comprising a buck, a base supporting said buck, an arm supported pivotally on said base and bearing a shoe on one end thereof` for cooperation with said buck, means for locking said arm against movement after the shoe has been depressed into engagement with said buck, and means for raising said buck and applying pressure therethrough against said shoe after said locking has been accomplished, said means for raising said buck and applying pressure having a spring link therein for increasing the pressure without further movement of the buck.

4. A press ironer comprising a base, a buck mounted for vertical movement on said base, an arm pivoted to said base, a shoe supported by said arm, means for moving said shoe into position over said buck, locking instrumentalities for holding said shoe and said buck in pressing relationship, means including a manually operated lever for locking and releasing said locking instrumentalities which hold said buck and shoe so D081- tioned, and means operated by said lever upon continued movement thereof after locking has been accomplished for applying pressure by forcing said buck upwardly against said shoe, energy for said pressure being applied through said lever.

5. An ironer comprising a pair of pressure applying elements mounted upon opposed pivotally connected members, a spring-pressed wedge upon one of said members engageable with a pin on the other of said members for locking said elements in pressure-applying relationship, and means on one of said members for retracting the pin against the action of said spring.

6. A press ironer comprising an arm pivoted to a base, a shoe mounted on said arm, a buck mounted on said base, a. shaft mounted in said arm, a lever pivoted on said shaft, a collar rotatably mounted on said shaft, link mechanism connecting said lever and said buck and arranged to apply upward pressure to said buck, mechanism for locking said arm and base in angular relationship with said buck and shoe in ironing position, said locking mechanism being located to the rear of said buck and shoe, means on said lever for engaging a lug on said collar, said collar being connected to said locking mechanism to release the same upon the engagement of said lever with said lug.

7. A press ironer comprising an arm pivoted to a base, a shoe mounted on said arm, a buck mounted on said base, a shaft mounted in said arm, a lever pivoted on said shaft, a collar rotatably mounted on said shaft, link mechanism connecting said lever and said buck and arranged to apply upward pressure to said buck, mechanism operatively connected with said collar for locking said arm and base in angular relationship with said buck and shoe in ironing position, said locking mechanism being located to the rear of said buck and shoe, and means on said lever for engaging a lug on said collar and rotating the collar.

8. A press ironer comprising means for locking a shoe and a. buck in pressing relationship including linkage and a wedge normally urged by spring means into locking relation with respect to a pin, and a lever under the control of the operator for retracting said wedge and "linkage against the action of the spring means to disengage said wedge and pin.

9. Ironing apparatus comprising means for preliminarily positioning a buck and a shoe in operative relation and holding them so positioned, and means for resiliently moving said buck to apply pressure against said shoe, including a resiliently extensible ling, said positioning means and said pressure applying means being operated by one lever.

10. Ironing apparatus comprising means for locking supports for a shoe and a buck in ironing position, means for resiliently moving one of said members against the other while in such position to apply pressure therebetween, said means comprising a system of links carried by said supporting means and for mechanically transmitting manual force. and means for unlocking the supports after completion of the ironing operation, said pressure applying means and said unlocking means being controlled by a single manually-operated lever.

THEODORE R. BUSH. 

